Abstract

Background: Light and/or intermittent smokers have been the fastest growing segment of cigarette smokers in the U.S. over the past two decades. Defining their behavioral characteristics is a critical public health priority.
Materials and Methods: Our sample included 78,229 U.S. adults from three pooled contemporary population-based surveys: the 2012 NHIS, 2012 NSDUH, and 2011-2012 NHANES. We classified current smokers into four categories (light and intermittent [LITS], light-daily, heavier-intermittent and heavier-daily) and assessed smoking behaviors, illicit drug use, and mental health indicators using weighted analyses.
Results: Analyses associated smoking categories with nicotine dependence, age of smoking initiation, race/ethnicity and other demographic and behavioral factors. Compared to heavier-daily smokers, smokers who were LITS were most likely to have mild or no nicotine dependence (weighted odds ratio [OR] = 16.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 13.10-21.85), to start smoking cigarettes regularly after age 21 (OR = 3.42, 95% CI 2.84-4.12), and to be Hispanic (OR = 5.38, 95% CI 4.38-6.61). Additional significant results were found for other categories of smokers.
Conclusion: Based on pooled data from three large national surveys, light and/or intermittent smokers differed in smoking, drug use and mental health behaviors from heavier-daily, former and never smokers. Notable differences by level of smoking frequency and intensity were observed for nicotine dependence, age of smoking initiation and race/ethnicity.
Impact: Our results may help focus preventive measures and policies for the growing number of light and/or intermittent smokers in the U.S. because smoking patterns vary by behavioral and socioeconomic factors.